Thirty-seven states filed a lawsuit against Google for monopolizing the smartphone application market in violation of state and federal antitrust laws. According to the complaint, Google operates a web of exclusionary agreements with phone manufacturers and carriers to exert control over app distribution on Android phones through its Google Play Store. By leveraging those anticompetitive agreements, Google can demand a 30 percent cut  (ten times higher than prices from competing payments systems) from third-party app developers for using its Google Play Store and for in-app purchases, a captive market practice that raises prices for consumers and limits options for anyone using an Android mobile operating system. the complaint alleges that Google’s conduct eliminates competition for app stores and in-app payment systems on Android. The states sought damages, injunctive relief, civil penalties, costs and attorneys fees. A tentative settlement  between Google and all 50 states was announced in September 2023..